The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Monday, July 31, 2000,
Chandigarh, India

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Hizbul names 3-member team for talks

MUZZAFARABAD, July 30 (AFP) — Pakistan-based militant group Hizbul Mujahideen today named a three-member team which it would like to be present in proposed negotiations between the Indian Government and “Kashmiri leadership.”

Hizbul spokesman Kalim Siddiqui told AFP that the group’s top leader Syed Salahuddin named Ghulam Ali, Mushtaq Gillani and Mohammad Ali Saqib for the talks.

“There can be other people as well but these three have raised the issue around the world and we want them in any negotiations between India and Kashmiri leadership,” Siddiqui said.

Meanwhile, according to a PTI report from Islamabad, Hizbul Mujahideen Chief Syed Salahuddin tonight suggested that India facilitates a meeting of Hizbul leaders from both sides of the Line of Control to discuss modalities of the proposed talks with New Delhi.

“We need assurance from India that it is sincere to hold talks only on Kashmir issue,” Salahuddin told PTI in an interview at his residence here.

He said his organisation would not set a deadline for getting response from India to its ceasefire offer but New Delhi should immediately come up with a response.

Ceasefire no pointer to end of crisis
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, July 30 — Though a major change and believed to be a turning point in the Kashmir situation, the ceasefire announcement of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen cannot be viewed as a pointer to an end to the Kashmir imbroglio.

Notwithstanding the strength of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, which is believed to be a major and locally dominated militant group, there are other formidable groups fighting in Kashmir, which have kept the pot boiling over the past 10 years. Going by the figures given by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Major-Gen J.R. Mukherjee there is an equal number of militants belonging to over half a dozen other groups. The security forces have been directed to continue their operations against all other militant groups having a major share of foreign militants in their cadres. The GOC, 15 Corps, said here yesterday that of over 1500 militants operating in the Kashmir valley, about 750 to 850 militants belonged to the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, which had announced a ceasefire.

At the same time, the senior Army officers have been holding that the ceasefire by the formidable militant outfit had come only because of the “pressures from the people of Kashmir who wanted peace”. Major-Gen Mukherjee claimed that more than 260 militants were killed from May to July this year, being the highest number of militants killed in any corresponding period over the past one decade. This does not seem to be the only factor in the ceasefire decision of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. Observers here comment that the decision was well-thought-over by the mentors from across the border.

The Hizbul announcement might have come as a surprise to the separatist All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), spearheading the “political struggle” in Kashmir. The APHC at the very outset had described the Hizbul move as a hasty decision, which should have been given some thought before its implementation. But soon after the decision was endorsed by the Hizbul supremo, Syed Salahuddin, presently in Pakistan, the APHC came out with a different reaction on the move. The AHC status has been further elated when the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, leader said that the APHC would participate in the dialogue with the Centre. Syed Salahuddin said his organisation would not participate in the dialogue with the government here to end the troubled scenario. This statement had come a day before the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee formally invited the Hizbul Mujahideen leadership to come overground and hold talks.

The Hizbul Mujahideen has reiterated that its decision was neither a surrender nor had the arms given up. Its decision was conditional which could be extended if the government came out with a positive response to this offer. However, other militant organisations, having their bases in Pakistan have not opposed or discredited the move. These organisations have only reiterated their resolve to continue the struggle and the holy war “to take the movement to its logical conclusion”.

The Hurriyat’s welcome to the Central Government’s offer of talks to Hizbul Mujahideen is yet another positive development. At the same time, special emissary to the Prime Minister, Mr Brijesh Mishra, has indicated that talks can be held only within the framework of the Constitution.

It is yet to be seen how the developments take place in the aftermath of the conditional ceasefire of the Hizbul Mujahideen for the next three months, Observers here feel that modalities can be worked out, while the Hizbul Mujahideen has come out with a bold step of the conditional ceasefire.

Hizbul in touch with other outfits

ISLAMABAD, July 30 (Reuters) — A militant group that declared a surprise three-month ceasefire in Kashmir has discreetly started contacting other Kashmiri leaders to discuss their next move, militant sources said today.

They said it was likely that some Kashmiri political leaders will meet in the United Arab Emirates to discuss a strategy for the rapidly changing scene in the Himalayan region.

“The contacts have started for a meeting of Kashmiri leaders,’’ said a source close to Hizbul Mujahideen, the group that declared the unilateral ceasefire last Monday.

Hizbul Mujahideen’s ceasefire drew scathing criticism from other militants fighting in Kashmir where more than a dozen groups are battling.

But some of the other groups were realising they could face difficulties operating in Kashmir without the help of Hizbul Mujahideen, and some militants thought that the ceasefire could lead to a breakthrough in the dispute over the region.

The source close to Hizbul Mujahideen said the group had contacted Kashmiri figures in the USA, Canada and Europe after getting in touch with Kashmir’s leading separatist alliance, the All-Party Hurriyat Conference.

The conference groups 22 separatist, religious and political organisations and has welcomed India’s unconditional invitation to talks as a positive move towards the resolution of the Kashmir issue.

Pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen asked India to respond positively to its ceasefire and yesterday, the Indian Army said it had suspended military operations against the group, though it would continue to fight other militants.

The militant sources said other groups felt they might not be able to carry out effective operations in Kashmir without the help of Hizbul Mujahideen, one of the most powerful groups.

“Slowly the (critical) reaction of other groups will become muted towards the ceasefire and their (military) activities will be reduced,’’ said a militant source.

Farooq Rehmani, leader of the People’s League, a Kashmiri political party whose Al-Fateh militant group has been actively involved in Kashmir, said Hizbul Mujahideen’s move could turn into a breakthrough.

Farooq, Advani discuss Hizbul offer

NEW DELHI, July 30 (PTI) — In the backdrop of the ceasefire offer by the Hizbul Mujahideen, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today met Union Home Minister L.K. Advani and discussed the issue with him.

Dr Farooq, who returned from his tour of eastern states aimed at mustering support for greater autonomy to the state, discussed the ceasefire offer by the Hizbul Mujahideen and subsequent reciprocation by the Army which suspended its operations against the outfit yesterday.

The Chief Minister and the Home Minister resolved that operations against other militant outfits would continue until and unless they followed suit, sources close to Dr Farooq said.

The two also discussed the autonomy issue. Dr Farooq has been meeting several political leaders and his state counterparts to gather support on the issue.

The Chief Minister, who later flew to Srinagar, called on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee yesterday and had also met Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha for releasing funds to the state at the earliest.

Dr Farooq, who met Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha yesterday, said he had asked him to release plan funds for the state in toto as the working season for utilisation of such funds was very limited.

“My ministers and secretaries have written to the Planning Commission for releasing funds as we have a working season only till October,” the Chief Minister said.

The Centre has already released Rs 400 crore to the state pending the finalisation of Annual Plan for Jammu and Kashmir.

Hold talks with others: CPI

PONDICHERRY, July 30 (UNI) — The CPI today welcomed the Union Government’s call for talks with the Hizbul Mujahideen and suggested that the Centre should talk to other militant outfits too.

Addressing a press conference here, CPI All-India general secretary A.B. Bardhan said talks should be held with other militant outfits also.

To a question, he said direct talks with Pakistan was needed only to solve the core problems and not the Kashmir imbroglio.

Mr Bardhan warned that if the government failed to continue the negotiations, it might reach a situation wherein the RSS talks of trifurcation of Kashmir would spell disaster.

He welcomed the Centre’s decision to discuss the autonomy issue, but said the opinion of all political parties and all sections of people should be elicited to find an amicable solution.

CHENNAI: Janata Party president Subramaniam Swamy has opposed the Centre’s offer of unconditional talks with the Hizbul Mujahideen.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday he alleged that the Union Government had succumbed to American pressure and agreed to hold talks with the militants without any pre-condition.

He claimed that Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee wanted to be seen as a "good person" during his coming visit to the USA. The government’s call to the Hizbul Mujahideen did not even stipulate that talks would be held within the framework of the Constitution, he added.

The Hizbul Mujahideen’s offer of ceasefire was also America inspired. Dr Swamy also opposed the Centre holding talks on autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir.